


fake number

by regionals



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 09:21:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8199884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regionals/pseuds/regionals
Summary: tyler gets a fake number from a girl at a house party. things snowball from there.





	

**Unknown** : is this jenna?  
 **josh** : nope  
 **Unknown** : oh.  
 **josh** : my name is josh.  
 **Unknown** : ah. i think i got a fake number. just my luck  
 **josh** : maybe this was fate? :P  
 **Unknown** : maybe.

\---

**josh** : hey what's your name  
 **Unknown** : it's tyler  
 **josh** : cool  
 **josh** : what do you look like  
 **tyler** : you send me a selfie first and ill show you  
 **josh** :

**tyler** : hey can i tell you something  
 **josh** : what  
 **tyler** : i am so ridiculously and unbearably gay now  
 **tyler** :

**tyler** : a friend took this but that's me  
 **josh** : can you do me a favor?  
 **tyler** : depends  
 **josh** : delete my number  
 **tyler** : am i that bad  
 **josh** : god no you're like   
**josh** : really hot  
 **josh** : you look like a model and im literally sitting in my underwear eating cheetos and i havent even shaved in like three days  
 **tyler** : stop  
 **josh** : why  
 **tyler** : im blushign  
 **josh** : adorable

\---

**josh** : sup lil dude  
 **tyler** : im older than you  
 **josh** : how tall are you  
 **tyler** : idk 5'10" ish  
 **josh** : oh  
 **tyler** : how tall are you  
 **josh** : 5'7"  
 **tyler** : how old are you anyways all i know is im older than you  
 **josh** : 23  
 **tyler** : yikes   
**josh** : how old are you tho  
 **tyler** : 28  
 **josh** : grandpa  
 **tyler** : pardon me mister  
 **tyler** : thats grandpappy to you.  
 **josh** : god you're literally a grandpa arent u  
 **tyler** : yes. i even have a collection of grandpa sweaters.  
 **tyler** : [image attached]  
 **josh** : those are girl sweaters  
 **tyler** : clothes have no gender  
 **josh** : oh  
 **josh** : why do you wear not girl sweaters  
 **tyler** : they look cool on me i guess  
 **josh** : thats cool

\---

**josh** : should i buy a crop top you've inspired me  
 **tyler** : yea send pics

\---

**josh** : okay i ended up just cutting one of my t-shirts but  
 **josh** : 

  
**tyler** :*fans self*  
 **josh** : omg  
 **josh** : is it good  
 **tyler** : UM, YES?  
 **tyler** : 

  
**josh** : i think i have a boner  
 **tyler** : oh my god go read a bible

\---

**josh** : can i ask a question  
 **tyler** : yeah  
 **josh** : if youre gay why did you have a girls number  
 **tyler** : i didnt know i was gay  
 **josh** : oh  
 **josh** : am i why ur gay  
 **tyler** : lol no ive been gay i was just in denial  
 **tyler** : you're cute though  
 **josh** : thanks  
 **tyler** : are you gay  
 **josh** : idk im not anything  
 **tyler** : are you asexual then  
 **josh** : no i just dont like using labels because theyre confusing and too confining i guess  
 **tyler** : oh that makes sense

\---

**tyler** : talk to me  
 **josh** : ok  
 **josh** : why  
 **tyler** : its storming really bad and i dont like storms  
 **tyler** : the thunder gets to me  
 **josh** : oh  
 **josh** : its storming here too  
 **josh** : i like to listen to music when it storms  
 **josh** : blocks out the noise i guess  
 **tyler** : my earbuds broke so i cant  
 **josh** : darn  
 **josh** : you can call me if you think thatd help

\---

**tyler** : you have a really soothing voice  
 **tyler** : it's not what i expected  
 **josh** : what kind of voice were you expecting  
 **tyler** : idk  
 **tyler** : not that deep  
 **josh** : haha  
 **josh** : i wasnt expecting you to be nasally  
 **josh** : not that its a bad thing because it isnt  
 **josh** : you have a nice voice too  
 **tyler** : thank you

\---

**josh** : its cold hold my hands  
 **tyler** : honestly i would because im cold too  
 **josh** : thanks man  
 **tyler** : where do you even live  
 **josh** : ohio  
 **tyler** : no way  
 **josh** : yeah  
 **tyler** : so do i  
 **josh** : dude where do u live  
 **tyler** : cleveland  
 **josh** : ah shit i live in columbus

\---

**tyler** : what are you doing during christmas  
 **josh** : like the day or the break  
 **tyler** : the break  
 **josh** : idk hanging around i guess  
 **josh** : how about you  
 **tyler** : im gonna be in columbus to visit my family  
 **josh** : oh  
 **tyler** : this probably sounds a little creepy but do you want to go get lunch...?  
 **josh** : uh  
 **josh** : _yeah_  
 **josh** : i dont have a lot of extra money because being an english teacher isn't overly lucrative  
 **tyler** : thats ok man  
 **tyler** : i got you covered  
 **tyler** : what kind of food do u like  
 **josh** : i like chipotle   
**josh** : i also like starbucks but dont tell anyone  
 **tyler** : my lips are sealed  
 **tyler** : so do u wanna get starbucks then chipotle?  
 **josh** : do you like starbucks or chipotle though  
 **tyler** : hella  
 **josh** : yeah then

\---

**josh** : okay is it bad that im like really nervous to meet you  
 **tyler** : no because im about to have a coronary  
 **tyler** : maps says im 10 minutes away  
 **josh** : shit seriously im not even dressed yet fuck  
 **tyler** : dude. get dressed.  
 **josh** : IM WORKING ON IT  
 **josh** : [image attached]  
 **josh** : how's this  
 **tyler** : a++  
 **tyler** : i think im in ur driveway btw  
 **josh** : oh shit  
 **josh** : my nerves just increased like 500%  
 **tyler** : haha same  
 **josh** : so  
 **tyler** : sooo  
 **josh** : are you gonna knock or just sit there like a creep i am waiting  
 **tyler** : im nervous what if u dont like me  
 **josh** : well i already think you're hot so unless ur pictures are photoshopped or unless you're catfishing me i think we'll be fine  
 **tyler** : hm. ok.

\---

josh paces around his condo, biting his thumbnail, and he flinches when his doorbell rings. _'okay, josh, you can do this. you can open the door. you will not freak out, and you will not make an ass out of yourself. tyler is totally going to be cool.'_

\---

tyler can't hear anything over the thudding of his heart in his ears. he feels a little queasy, mostly since he's about to meet the cute guy he's been talking to off and on for the past six or seven months. he takes a deep breath as he hears the doorknob wiggling a bit.

\---

josh holds his breath as he makes eye contact with tyler. he's not as tall as he'd expected, and he looks far less intimidating than he had in the pictures he'd seen of him. "uh. hi."

\---

tyler bites his cheek, waiting for a response. josh is way different than he thought. for one thing, he isn't as scrawny as he previously thought, but rather toned, and his face is a little rounder than it was in his pictures.

"hey. uh. do we--what do we do? i didn't plan this far ahead."

\---

"do you just--like--want to order a pizza? or are you dead set on chipotle?"

"i'm versatile. i can go either way. pizza or chipotle, man, i don't care." josh is talking a little too loudly and quickly, and he's cursing himself for being so goddamn nervous. tyler doesn't seem to mind, and josh figures this from the smile he draws from the older man.

\---

tyler and josh fall asleep on the couch, each with their head and their feet at separate ends. the position is awkward, but it works. they'd fallen asleep after having mindless and seemingly endless discussions for hours on end, and after eating an entire pizza.

either of them are woken up around nine by tyler's phone.

"hey, sorry. i didn't tell my parents i was, uh, not going to be home. they were worried."

"oh. at least they care, i guess."

tyler grins. "yeah. i haven't--uh--i haven't come out to them yet. just--by the way, i guess. i don't know why i'm telling you."

"mine cut me off when i was like twenty." josh shrugs. "i guess you gotta leave now, huh?"

"hey, hey, don't look sad. we can hang out again sometime. i don't have to be back in cleveland until the seventeenth."

"oh. i--i kind of thought you were gonna be gone before that."

\---

**josh** : so that means you don't absolutely despise me?  
 **tyler** : heavens no  
 **tyler** : you're really nice  
 **josh** : why'd you kiss me  
 **tyler** : who knows  
 **tyler** : i've never kissed a dude before  
 **tyler** : it was kind of weird but you were looking really cute so i couldn't help myself oops  
 **josh** : you looked pretty good yourself   
**tyler** : you wanna talk on the phone for a bit? im kinda bored and my parents took my siblings out without telling me lol  
 **josh** : well thats rude whyd they do that  
 **tyler** : well i mean ive been asleep all day so i cant rly blame them  
 **josh** : true

\---

tyler and josh manage to get an entire movie theater to themselves around the tenth. they sit in the back with their legs propped up on the seats in front of them, sharing a huge bucket of popcorn, and enjoying each others running commentary on the film either of them had seen a few times before already.

tyler steals a few glances at josh's face here and there. his fluffy head of brown hair is in desperate need of a cut, or so josh says, but tyler honestly loves it. it's adorable, and it frames his face almost perfectly. his wide brown eyes are transfixed with the film, irises flicking bath and forth, following the characters and the action.

"josh?" tyler asks, mostly to get him to turn his head towards him.

"hm?" his eyebrows are raised a little bit out of curiosity, and he lets out an 'mmph!' noise when tyler leans over to kiss him suddenly.

josh has to giggle mentally. tyler is not at all smooth, but the younger man kind of has to give him credit, since he's not at all shameful about it. josh places a hand on the back of tyler's neck, and kisses him back, barely holding back an open mouth grin.

once tyler pulls away, he looks back to the screen and doesn't say anything. josh takes to resting his head on tyler's shoulder while holding his hand.

\---

**josh** : did that count as a date  
 **tyler** : no  
 **tyler** : like i mean   
**tyler** : hear me out  
 **tyler** : it wasn't supposed to be a date at first but then i kissed you and then you kissed back and we held hands and then i kissed you when i took you home so like objectively it was a date  
 **tyler** : but it didn't start off as one  
 **tyler** : but but but i do wanna ask you on an actual date because that was fun and i really enjoyed it  
 **josh** : oh man  
 **tyler** : im not gonna be in columbus again until march though  
 **josh** : maybe i could cash in a few personal days in february around the 14th...? i have a few weeks built up.  
 **tyler** : oh you dont have to do that josh :( you should keep your personal days for something better  
 **josh** : but this is totally worth it tyler  
 **tyler** : hm true  
 **tyler** : im in grad school by the way  
 **tyler** : ill probably be kinda busy with homework the day of valentine's but if you're willing to hang around until the weekend...???  
 **josh** : yes im willing to do that :)  
 **tyler** : :D

\---

"you have a loft...?" josh asks, in awe, as he steps into tyler's home.

"uh. yeah. i'm, uh, an engineer. i have a bachelor's in computer engineering. im, uh, working on my master's."

"that's awesome, dude." josh grins at him, and tyler's heart beats super fast.

"yeah."

"when do you get your master's?"

"june. i'm moving back to columbus after that. i hate cleveland."

"i kinda like cleveland. i mean, nothing beats columbus in my opinion, but cleveland isn't half bad."

tyler gives him a half grin. "i have an essay to work on, but, uh, make yourself at home, i guess. no messes or wild parties, alright?"

"yeah, of course."

\---

"tyler, why are we at one of the great lakes? it's so cold."

"it's supposed to be romantic."

"frostbite isn't romantic, tyler."

"hold my hand, then." tyler's holding a hand out, and josh takes it in his with a small grin spreading out across his face.

they walk for a while, down a path, not really saying anything. tyler's heart feels as if it's about to burst, and he's feeling something that he hasn't felt before. "hey, josh?"

"yeah?" josh looks over and up to tyler.

"i like you."

"i like you too, tyler."

"do you wanna be my boyfriend?"

tyler isn't expecting much, and he definitely isn't expecting arms being thrown over his shoulders, nor is he expecting lips to be pressed against his as josh's smooth, silky, and awesome voice says, "of course."

\---

**tyler** : i'm coming home this weekend. make sure mom and dad are home if you can.  
 **madison** : where do you think they're going to go?  
 **tyler** : do i look like i know? i haven't lived at home since i was eighteen.  
 **madison** : true. they won't be gone. why are you coming home?  
 **tyler** : i've got something to tell everyone.  
 **tyler** : make sure zack and jay are there too, along with you. it's kind of important.  
 **madison** : what do you wanna tell us though  
 **tyler** : why dont you wait and find out  
 **madison** : because im your favorite sibling and you tell me everything anyways?  
 **tyler** : you really want to know  
 **madison** : yeah  
 **tyler** : im gay and i have a boyfriend  
 **madison** : seriously?  
 **tyler** : yeah  
 **madison** : thats awesome. im happy for you.  
 **tyler** : thank you

\---

**tyler** : i came out to my sister  
 **josh** : how'd it go?  
 **tyler** : it was good. she's really nice.  
 **tyler** : im gonna come out to the rest of my immediate family soon. idk how well the rest of them will take it.  
 **josh** : i believe in you

\---

tyler is on one side of the dining table, and his family is on the other. the last time his heart was beating this fast was when he'd asked josh to be his boyfriend. he takes a few deep breaths, before looking at everyone, finally saying, "i've been in kind of a weird place for the past eight months or so.

"uh. i'll just start at the beginning. i met this girl at a house party, and i asked her for her number, because she seemed nice, but she gave me a fake number." tyler scratches at one of the cuffs on his shirt before continuing. "the number she gave me belonged to this guy named josh, and we started being friends pretty quickly.

"he's--he's really nice. he's a great guy." tyler has to wipe at one of his eyes. twenty nine years old, and he still cries whenever something even moderately gets to him. "he sent me a picture of his face a few weeks after i met him and this--this sounds really corny, but, um, i kind of realized something pretty big.

"after that we just continued talking, and i found out he actually lives in columbus, so when i was here during christmas, and during the first part of the year, we, uh, we kind of met, and... and, well, we went on a few dates."

he isn't even looking at his family now, but rather at his hands, which are clasped together. "he visited me over valentine's in cleveland, and we went on another date, and, uh, i--well, uh, he's--he's my boyfriend. i'm gay. that's--that's what i wanted to tell everyone. maddy already knew, but that's kind of a given." tyler shrugs, continuing to avoid eye contact.

everyone is silent for a while, but eventually zack pipes up. "when are you gonna introduce us to him? i need to give him the 'if you hurt him, i'll kill you' talk."

"i believe i should have a chat with him too," comes tyler's father's response. "i've got to make sure he's good to you, tyler."

"and i suppose we could invite him over. i could send him home with a casserole like i do with everyone else." his mother, for once, has lost her stern tone, and sounds... pleasant. yeah, she sounds pleasant.

\---

**tyler** : everyone's okay with it theyre all okay with it holy shit  
 **josh** : did you tell them youre gay?????  
 **tyler** : yeah. uh. wow. my family is really religious. i wasn't really expecting them to be cool about it.  
 **josh** : thats amazing tyler im happy for you  
 **tyler** : im sorry that your parents werent cool with it  
 **josh** : its fine  
 **josh** : my mom actually called me a few days ago i dont think i told yuo  
 **tyler** : you didn't  
 **josh** : oh. well, it wasn't anything... major, i guess. she just wanted to talk, and wanted to apologize for how she treated me.  
 **tyler** : that's a start, right?  
 **josh** : of course  
 **tyler** : my family really wants to meet you  
 **tyler** : what are you doing tomorrow  
 **josh** : are you in fucking columbus right now  
 **tyler** : maaaybe  
 **josh** : asshole  
 **josh** : come over  
 **tyler** : i will but answer me first  
 **josh** : im not doing anything. i have some papers to grade but other than that im free  
 **tyler** : good. how about dinner at my parents' house?  
 **josh** : sounds good  
 **josh** : now come over so i can hug and kiss you and all that other coupley stuff  
 **tyler** : i smiled and giggled a bit at that  
 **josh** : im grinning pretty big at your message  
 **tyler** : youre awesome  
 **josh** : so are you

\---

"do you work at a high school?"

"yeah. it's not as bad as i thought it'd be."

"i don't think i'd have the patience to teach." tyler shrugs, and takes a bite from josh's carton of mandarin chicken.

"i like it. i mean, it pays for shit, but it's fun. though, there is this one kid who keeps hitting on me."

"she trying to angle for better grades?" tyler raises his eyebrows at his boyfriend.

"he, actually. and i don't think so. he has an a- in my class. he's cute, i guess, but he's also seventeen, and i got you anyways."

"glad to know temptation isn't getting the best of you."

"oh, hush." josh sticks his tongue out at tyler. "i wasn't tempted in the slightest. don't know why i would be with a god sitting in my living room."

"okay, now you're just lying, josh. i'm just a simple engineer."

"a simply stunning engineer."

tyler whines and nudges josh. "stop."

"why?" he laughs and nudges tyler back. "you're cute."

tyler scratches at his chin for a few seconds. "i'm aiming for devishly handsome and sexy."

"you're those too."

"oh, quit sucking up to me, josh."

"c'mon, though. i like complimenting you. you get all blushy and shy and it's cute."

"are you trying to get in my pants?"

"that's been my goal since day one, man."

josh watches as tyler's face gradually gets more red before he admits, "i haven't done anything with a guy before. like, sex wise. i mean i've made out with you plenty of times, but y'know."

"you told me that like four months ago, tyler."

"i did?"

"yeah. you kissed me then told me you hadn't ever kissed a dude before, so i assumed you also haven't ever done anything more than that either."

"oh."

he shrugs. "i'm still a virgin if that makes you feel better?"

tyler's jaw drops. "no way. the way you talk about sex--you cannot be a virgin."

"i am, man, i am. i mean, i've like--i've done oral sex or whatever, but i haven't actually ever gone all the way with anyone before."

tyler cracks a bit of a teasing grin before he puts his carton of take out down, reaching over to pinch josh's cheeks. "aww, my little virgin."

josh bats his hands away, giggling. "shut up."

\---

tyler and josh lay next to each other, sprawled out on a blanket with another one on top of them on the floor of josh's bedroom, staring up at the pasted on stars and moons on his ceiling. "where should i move when i come back to columbus?"

josh pauses, seeming to thing for a few moments. "hmm, you should move in with me."

tyler huffs. "thanks for the offer, but your condo is a little small. i was thinking about renting another loft, or renting a house. or buying one. i'm not sure."

"your loft is pretty cool. you should get a cooler one."

"uh-huh. i'll try. lofts aren't cheap, y'know."

"i know. aren't lofts, like, a status symbol or something?"

tyler shrugs, and squeezes josh's hand, which is already clasping his. "i guess. i didn't want to live in an apartment since it seemed a little unnecessary, given how big they usually are, but lofts are like... they're big, but don't have tons of room, i guess. like i had one bed, a living room, a bathroom, and a kitchen. that's about all i need."

josh nods, completely understanding him. "yeah. i like my condo, because it's a little bigger than the apartment i used to live in, but not quite as big as a house. i kinda like the feeling of a house. makes me feel at home."

tyler turns his head to look at josh, who was already looking at him apparently. tyler can't help but to think about how beautiful josh is. tyler is about half a second away from scooting closer to josh to kiss him, but the younger of the two beats him to it. he kisses back gingerly, with a hand on josh's neck.

the moment itself is just tender, and soft, even. josh pulls away about half an inch to quietly murmur, "i think i love you, tyler joseph."

tyler's breath catches in his throat, because-- "i think i love you too, joshua dun."

josh laughs, mostly out of happiness, before closing the distance between their lips again. this kiss isn't as sweet or as slow, but rather chaste and excited.

\---

**@jennablack** : hey didn't i meet you at a house party last year?  
 **@tylerrjoseph** : yeah but you gave me a fake number  
 **@jennablack** : yeah, sorry about that. i wanted to know if you wanted to go out for coffee sometime.  
 **@tylerrjoseph** : no thanks. i do want to thank you for that fake number, though.  
 **@jennablack** : ...why?  
 **@tylerrjoseph** : you gave me my current boyfriend's number. so thanks. really appreciate that.  
 **@jennablack** : ew

_You can no longer send direct messages to this person_.

tyler laughs to himself.

thank god for catty white girls and fake numbers.


End file.
